US President Bush declared an end to differences between the United States and Europe over the Iraq war and secured an EU promise to assist the incoming Iraqi government. The joint EU-US statement pledged a common commitment to Iraq's future and 'a continued and expansive engagement of the UN in Iraq after the transfer of sovereignty', including support for 'the training and equipping of professional Iraqi security forces'.
The two sides agreed six other statements on joint action and co-operation:
- Middle East: the wo sides “remain convinced that engagement should be based on partnership, and acknowledgement of the importance of local ownership”. They will link closer relations and financial assistance to measurable progress in enhancing human rights, legislative reforms and norms of good governance.
- Sudan: Two million people have been caught up in fighting in Sudan’s Darfur region. The two sides expressed grave concern at the humanitarian crisis and condemned human rights violations. They urged African Union to assume a leading role in the monitoring mission there.
- Counter-terrorism: the two sides agreed to work together to further the international consensus against terrorism. They reaffirmed a commitment to cut off finance and economic resources to terrorists and to step up capacities to detect and prevent terrorist attacks. There was no language on dealing with the causes of terrorism, which the EU had wanted to see in the text.
- Weapons of mass destruction: The transatlantic partners expressed concern that Iran wants to resume manufacturing and assembling centrifuges and urged it to think again. They said that North Korea’s withdrawal from non-proliferation treaty was “unprecedented and of serious concern to us all” and that the country’s pursuit of nuclear weapons represents a threat to peace and security.
- Fight against HIV/AIDS: the two sides acknowledge the spread of communicable diseases as “one of the biggest threats to human life, prosperity and security” and expressed support for the UN declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS.
- Economic Partnership: US and European leaders have vowed to work to dismantle transatlantic trade barriers in response to demands from a revived alliance of 30 large companies in both continents.
EU Transport Commissioner, Loyola de Palacio, and US Secretary of State Colin Powell have signed an agreement to ensure compatibility between their rival satellite positioning systems. The deal means the two sides will agree common operating standards for the American Global Positioning System (GPS) and the European Galileo project, currently under development. It determines how Galileo's frequencies should be structured, which will allow signals to be jammed in war zones if necessary.
The US President congratulated the EU for its enlargement. "It’s an historic achievement. You are erasing the last traces of the Iron Curtain and creating a new beginning for the continent," he said. He urged the EU to open membership talks with Turkey saying it already met standards for joining the EU.
